Alex Nieten
HANFORD, CA (September 21, 2026) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is ready to wrap up a busy stay in the “Golden State.”
The country’s best Sprint Car drivers will tackle three races at three different tracks over five days to punctuate the 2026 California swing.
First on the agenda is a trip to Kings Speedway on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The Hanford, CA oval was recently revived, and The Greatest Show on Dirt will help continue its revitalization by making its 39th trip to Kings in Series history.
Then it’s down to “Bako” for the tour’s second-ever visit to Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on Friday, Sept. 25. The World of Outlaws debuted at the facility owned by the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion last year and is back this week.
The West Coast trip concludes with what promises to be a thrilling debut. The Series is taking fighter jets in a gymnasium to a new level on Saturday, Sept. 26, by debuting at Ventura Raceway. The beachside bullring is one of the sport’s most scenic tracks, and the Toyota Racing Battle at the Beach presented by ARP is bringing the World of Outlaws there for the first time. Saturday is set to make Ventura the 21st different California track visited by the band of travelers Ted Johnson unleashed in 1978. Ventura has hosted Winged 410 Sprint Cars only twice before, when the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) came to town in 2014 and 2015.
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Let’s look at the top stories to watch this week:
THE KING OF KINGS
If you want to win at Kings Speedway, you’re going to have to take down Carson Macedo.
The Hanford, CA track is right down the road from home for the Lemoore, CA native, and he’s always excelled at the 3/8 mile. He’s topped five Sprint Car races at Kings and added another in a Midget when he swept the 2020 Tom Tarlton Classic. A pair of those victories came with the World of Outlaws (2021 and 2024). He hasn’t finished worse than fifth in his last six appearances there.
The first weekend of the California swing resulted in a pair of Stockton top 10s for Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing team, including a podium in the Dennis Roth Classic opener. Some misfortune for Sheldon Haudenschild allowed Macedo to close to within 26 markers as the two fight for third in points.
BACK-TO-BACK IN BAKO?
Friday’s visit to Bakersfield gives Michael “Buddy” Kofoid the chance to stay undefeated there in World of Outlaws competition.
The tour’s debut there a year ago belonged to Kofoid and the Roth Motorsports crew, but he wasn’t done there. The Penngrove, CA native returned two months later and claimed the USAC Midget Bakersfield visit in a Keith Kunz Motorsports ride. Throw in the fact he ran second at a 2023 NARC race there, and his average finish in his last three tries is 1.33.
Kofoid and the Roth crew roll into this week as the hottest team on tour. They haven’t missed the top five in the last 10 events and have four wins and a stout 2.4 average finish over that span. Kofoid trails David Gravel by 112 markers in the championship battle.
BACK TO THE BEACH
With Ventura hosting few Sprint Car races, not many current World of Outlaws drivers have laps at the bullring. But a handful have circled the track in the past and may have an experience advantage on Saturday.
Carson Macedo’s early career brought him to Ventura in both 2014 and 2015 with NARC, and he brought the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 home fifth both times. He’s also won there in a Non-Wing Sprint Car and Midget.
Carson’s brother Cole Macedo has four Non-Wing Sprint Car starts at Ventura and finished in the top 10 three times. The highlight of those was a podium last year.
Buddy Kofoid has made 10 previous trips to the beachside bullring. The Penngrove, CA native has been on the podium in three of the last five Turkey Night Grand Prix races.
Lebanon, IN’s Spencer Bayston has competed in the Turkey Night Grand Prix on six occasions with the USAC National Midgets. His top effort is a 2019 podium. Bayston will return to Ventura aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 on Saturday.
Fellow Hoosier Emerson Axsom has a pair of Turkey Night top-10 outings. The Franklin, IN native will see what he can do in the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports No. 27.
Chris Windom’s USAC days also brought him to Turkey Night a few times before moving on to the World of Outlaws and the Sides Motorsports No. 7S.
Rising Sun, MD’s Steven Snyder Jr. debuted at Ventura in a Midget less than a year ago, and he’ll return in the Three Stooges Racing No. 51.
CLUTCH IN CALI
The World of Outlaws may bring the top group of traveling talent around the country, but California didn’t back down to open the West Coast swing. It wasn’t a local driver, but James McFadden was aboard the Fresno, CA-based Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 when he topped Stockton’s Dennis Roth Classic opener. Then Aromas, CA’s Justin Sanders secured his first World of Outlaws win in thrilling fashion to bank $83,000 in the finale.
This week serves up three more opportunities for the “Cali Clique” to beat the best of the best. It would be no surprise if Sanders pulls off another at Kings or Bakersfield. He’s won NARC races at both ovals. Kings is the home track for Hanford, CA’s own D.J. Netto. The 30-year-old owns six victories at the 3/8 mile. Templeton, CA’s Kaleb Montgomery owns loads of laps at Ventura to the tune of a 2024 win and runner-up finishes in his last five visits.
The local contingent will also welcome Dominic Scelzi back to the fray this week. With James McFadden heading home to Australia, Scelzi will take over driving duties of the Tarlton No. 21. The Fresno, CA native boasts a dozen Kings victories, and he’s topped a trio at Bakersfield.
PAYDAY COMES HOME
Most work checks hit the bank account on Friday, but “Payday” is arriving early this week.
Clovis, CA native Corey Day is returning home to wheel the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14 at all three World of Outlaws races ahead. He has the week off from his day job of piloting the Hendrick Motorsports No. 17 in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, so he’s using the free time to return to his roots. California’s dirt tracks are where the 20-year-old made a name for himself early in his racing career.
The trio of races starts at a track that’s been very kind to Day. He’s topped seven Sprint Car races at Kings, including four with NARC. It’s also home to his first career 410 Sprint Car win. He’s made three starts at Bakersfield and never finished worse than fourth. The most recent of those was a victory in 2023 on his way to the NARC championship. Day’s Ventura résumé boasts three Midget starts and two trips to Victory Lane as he’s conquered USAC’s Turkey Night Grand Prix the last two years.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA
Friday, Sept. 25 at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, CA
Saturday, Sept. 26 at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, CA
AROUND THE TURN
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 2-3 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA (TICKETS)
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (64/80 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (8110 PTS)
2. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-112 PTS)
3. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-230 PTS)
4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-256 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-366 PTS)
6. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-608 PTS)
7. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-650 PTS)
8. Cole Macedo – TwoC Racing No. 2C (-952 PTS)
9. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-976 PTS)
10. Emerson Axsom – Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports No. 27 (-1010 PTS)